According to a Data Desk report published on 15 October, “massive clouds of methane have been observed at Chevron’s Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Australia on five consecutive satellite overpasses dating back to November (2025)”. 

Report authors Aaron Clark and Naish Gawen said, “the most recent public observation was made on August 29 by Carbon Mapper’s Tanager-1 satellite and triggered an alert from the United Nations, which issues notifications to operators and governments on the world’s most urgent methane emissions in a bid to stop them”.   

CCWA Executive Director Matt Roberts said it was alarming that it remains unclear if the leakage has been stopped. He called on the State Government to take urgent action to seek answers from Chevron. 

“It’s unacceptable for Chevron, which is profiteering to the tune of billions of dollars from war in the Middle East, to be carelessly spewing out methane pollution from its Western Australian facilities,” Mr Roberts said. 

 “Methane gas is an extra potent fossil fuel, and Chevron’s leak is adding fuel to the climate crisis, which is already costing lives around the world. 

"With hundreds of international delegates in Perth for the Global Citizen NOW summit talking about renewable energy, this is yet another example of how the State Government has failed to deal with the main source of WA's emissions problems, the gas industry. 

"A large number of delegates have spoken about the need to end further extraction of fossil fuels in order to make the transition to a renewable energy future and meet emissions reductions consistent with 1.5c alignment. 

"Gas is a dirty fossil fuel playing a key role in driving the current climate crisis. 

“WA's emissions have risen 19% since 2005 and continue to climb - we remain the only state without an interim emissions reduction target. In the meantime, we’ve got Chevron proving once again that it’s unable, or unwilling, to meet emissions obligations." 

In April this year, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) approved further development of the Gorgon project.  

“The installation of new wells and pipelines will maintain production rates of about 15.6 million tonnes of LNG a year, equating to 468 million tonnes of gas over the next three decades, handing Chevron a $300 billion windfall without paying a cent in royalties. Enough is enough.” 

Further background on Chevron gas leaks: 

In July 2025, it was identified that an unknown amount of gas was seeping to the surface on Barrow Island, where the company ceased oil production two months earlier.

At the time, Chevron said it had informed the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration (DMPE) of the problem and was working with them to investigate the leak from the Gearle Formation, beneath the surface of the island. 

“There have been ongoing compliance issues associated with Chevron’s Gorgon LNG project at Barrow Island, and further reports of gas releases indicate the process is continuing to fail,” Mr Roberts said.  

Read more on this story here. 

ENDS 

Media contact: John Cooke – 0433 679 780 – [email protected]